


This Night Has Opened My Eyes

by puckperry



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: A little angst but nothing serious, M/M, anderperry, its cute what can i say, todd/neil - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 03:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14907804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puckperry/pseuds/puckperry
Summary: ’’Asparagus is in season,’’ he said, stopping and looking up at Neil.’’Well do you have asparagus?’’’’Of course I have asparagus.’’He burst out laughing, ’’Of course you have asparagus.’’





	This Night Has Opened My Eyes

Neil woke up with a terrible headache and a wave of shame rushed through him once he remembered last night’s events. He took in his surroundings and, realizing he was on the couch of Charlie’s apartment, the guilt overwhelmed him. He rushed to the bathroom of Charlie’s apartment and threw up, reaching the toilet just in time. By the time he was done throwing up, the dark green marble tiles where he had sat were warm. The bathroom window was open, the shower curtain swaying slightly in the wind, he let the chill air soothe him. Charlie’s bathroom was to some people tacky, gold everywhere, dark marble and lavender soap, but Neil adored it. Charlie’s parents were happy to pay for his apartment, they said that he had worked hard and deserved it. He didn’t see how this could make sense, surely if he had been working hard he would be able to afford the apartment on his own. And Neil was pretty sure that Charlie _could _afford it. Neil imagined Charlie designing this really fancy bathroom and he laughed, his best friend was so dramatic he wondered if it had rubbed off on him and the kiss last night wasn't so bad. But no matter how he tried to look at it, what he had done last night on that party _wasn’t_ okay. He washed his face and sighed, close to putting his fist through the mirror but holding himself back. When he stood with his hands on the sink, water dripping from his face and hair, he wished he could take it all back, rush home to Todd and kiss him. But he knew that he had done a terrible thing, and Todd was surely going to break up with him.__

____

 

He walked out of the bathroom, wearing only the shirt and underwear that he had worn the night before. Glasses of whiskey and old toast was sitting on the kitchen table. Charlie usually kept his apartment surprisingly tidy but the kitchen was a mess.  
He decided to clean up a bit to distract himself. But his mind wandered. He had to get to Todd right now. After wiping his hands on a towel and putting on the clothes from the night before, he ran out of the apartment and stumbled down the stairs. Todd’s apartment was close, but it took a good 20 minutes to get there. He couldn't bring himself to wait even a second for a bus so he ran, until he felt like he was going to collapse.

 

When he reached the door to Todd’s apartment, he had to force himself to wait a moment to catch his breath. When he was breathing normally, he knocked on the door. It echoed in the huge hallway, the checkered tiles amplified every sound and he was surprised Todd hadn’t heard him run up the stairs. When he heard Todd walking towards the door, his heart started to race. He opened the door and looked startled when he saw Neil sobbing.  
’’Neil? What’s the matter?’’ Todd looked worriedly at him.  
’’Todd, I am a horrible, horrible person. I’m so, so sorry, you have to believe me,’’  
’’What are you talking about? What happened?’’  
Todd led Neil to the couch of his apartment and went to make some tea. When they were both on the couch, holding hands, Neil crying, he told Todd all about last night. How he had gotten drunk and kissed that girl. Todd looked shocked, as he should, and walked over to the big window and watched the cars go by. ’’Todd, I’m so sorry I shouldn't have done that, I was drunk and stupid and Charlie was with me. Charlie doesn't know we’re dating so he was pushing me and I just didn’t know how to tell him that I can’t, he wouldn’t have any of it and I just… Todd, I’m sorry.’’  
Todd sighed, which made Neil cry even harder. It was obvious that Neil regretted last night, Todd had never seen him this upset. ’’Neil, it’s not okay but I forgive you, I know you’re sorry’’  
’’Oh god, Todd, you deserve better and I understand if you want to break up…’’  
’’No, no, I-I just need some time that’s all’’  
Neil made his way to the window, he had regained some control over himself. He tentatively put his arms around Todd, hoping that the hug would show him that last night was a mistake, a drunken mistake, and that he would only ever be romantic with Todd. They understood each other, without having to say anything. Todd tensed at first but let himself relax when he realized what Neil was trying to say. He turned around, still hugging Neil, and started crying. ’’We should pr-probably come out to our friends, huh?’’ he said, choking out a laugh.  
’’You don’t want to break up?’’  
’’No, sweetheart, I know you w-would never hurt me on purpose.’’  
’’I know this is an emotional moment, and I just did something really horrible so I shouldn’t be saying this, but did you just call me sweetheart?’’  
’’Hey, come on, it’s cute.’’  
’’I just did something really horrible to you, Todd. Are you sure you should call me that?’’ Todd was laughing, not even trying to hold it back. Had Neil overreacted? No. No, he really was an idiot, kissing someone else when he had Todd.  
’’Neil, you were so devastated when you confessed. I think you’re softer than you want to believe.’’  
’’Fine. Call me sweetheart, but just know that I will annoy you with even cuter nicknames. You will regret this, Todd Anderson.’’ he said, their lips touching ’’The game is on.’’  
’’Oh will you stop referencing Sherlock, you’re such a nerd’’ another kiss.  
’’Come on, you know you love it.’’ another kiss.  
’’You’re lucky you’re cute, Neil.’’ Todd leaned in for another kiss and put his hands on Neil’s back.  
’’So what do you say we invite the poets to lunch and tell them?’’  
’’Good idea.’’

 

They called and invited them all over for lunch in 2 hours, and then panicked because they had absolutely no idea what to serve. ’’Oh my god, Neil, I have no food at home! And there is no chance we will make it to the big market, and the store down the street is closed on Saturdays.’’ he paced up and down the hallway between the kitchen and the living room, trying to think of something they could serve. ’’Asparagus is in season,’’ he said, stopping and looking up at Neil.  
’’Well do you have asparagus?’’  
’’Of course I have asparagus.’’  
He burst out laughing, ’’Of course you have asparagus.’’ he looked fondly at Todd, ’’Come on, then, lets start cooking.’’

 

Todd lived in a fancy apartment building, with high ceilings and marble floors in the hallway. Neil loved the way Todd had decorated it, with light colors and books everywhere. It reflected Todd’s personality perfectly, it was right out of a Donna Tart novel. The desk in front of the window had stacks of poetry books, most of them Whitman, and an old cup of tea from this morning. It was all so beautiful and soft, perhaps Neil could move in when they had made their relationship public? He thought about it a lot, but now it might actually become reality. But for now, he really had to focus on keeping the nervous Todd calm, and not trying to burn the brownies he was making for dessert.

 

The various conversations around the table were interrupted by the sound of Neil tapping his glass to make the announcement. ’’I know you’ve all had your speculations..’’  
’’Oh god, you got someone pregnant?’’  
’’What the hell, Knox? No, just- Todd and I want to make an announcement.’’  
''We're dating'' Todd said, more confident than he felt. The news shocked everyone except Meeks, surprisingly, who just sat back and drank his tea, looking satisfied.  
When the brownies and tea were gone, they made their way out to the balcony for a smoke. Todd was explaining the plot of some obscure book he had recently read, and the other guys were listening attentively, or at least, pretending they were.  
Charlie dragged Neil away from the rest of the group to apologize about the party. ’’Listen, man, I’m sorry about the other night. I had no idea you two were dating, shouldn’t have made you kiss that girl.’’ he said while running his hand through his hair. ’’Wait, do you even like girls?’’  
Neil laughed, then sighed. ’’No, I don’t.’’  
’’Well then I’m _really_ sorry about making you kiss her’’  
’’It’s fine, Charlie, we talked about it and he knows I feel bad for what I did. He forgave me, can you believe it?’’  
’’Dude, marry him.’’  
Neil patted him on the shoulder and walked back to the group, who had now moved from the balcony to the sofa. Knox was playing the piano, and Todd, Meeks, and Pitts were deep in some conversation about the best latin translator. It was funny, because although Todd and Meeks maintained their latin skills, Pitts hadn’t put much energy into it, but he was still arguing passionately.  
’’I hate to interrupt this discussion but I’m leaving, and since I drove you all here, you’re either coming with me now, or you’re walking home.’’ Charlie announced, already walking towards the hallway.  
’’Yes, sir,’’ Meeks said jokingly, putting on his coat and walking towards Charlie.  
’’It was good seeing you,’’ Knox hugged Neil and then Todd, giving them the warmest smile he had to offer.  
Pittsie did the same, and soon they were all out the door.  
Todd sighed contently and hugged Neil, leaning his head on his shoulder.  
’’That went well.’’  
’’It really did,’’ Todd let out a laugh of disbelief.

 

They were sitting in the living room with the the windows open and the birds were chirping outside. Todd was at his desk translating his favorite book to latin. Neil went up to Todd and put his hands around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. He went over to the piano and started playing Todd’s favorite song, a song from the soundtrack of a tv show neither of them had watched. Recognizing the tune, Todd finally put down his pen and walked over to Neil. He kissed him on the cheek, which made Neil blush and press the wrong key. The noise that came from the piano was startling. Todd smiled and kissed Neil, a soft kiss. It made him weak at the knees.  
’’Todd, you mean everything to me, I’m sorry about last night.’’ he got up so both of them were standing. So much had happened since Neil had told him about the kiss, it didn’t even feel like the same day.  
’’Don’t worry about it’’  
’’I love you’’  
’’You’re an idiot’’ Todd leaned up and kissed him another time, their lips were flushed red from all the kissing.

 

Neil noticed a script on Todd’s desk. Picking it up, he saw that it was the script to a midsummer night’s dream. That’s what Todd had been translating. No wonder he looked so puzzled, translating shakespeare to latin can’t have been easy. The script was old, the same one they had been using back at Welton. _''Oh god, he kept this?''_ Neil had given Todd an extra copy, so they could practice together. He flipped through it, smiling. This was what had spurred his love for acting, and it’s the reason he still acts in plays every year. At the back of the script, there were doodles of stars and hearts. He wrapped a blanket around himself and took the script to the window. He sat down on the radiator and started reading out loud, a smile on his lips. The spring weather was perfect, not too warm. The sun was illuminating Todd’s apartment and the curtains were moving with the wind. He set down the script when he saw Todd walk in to the room and got back up and wrapped the blanket around him too, hugging him.  
’’Thank you, Todd’’  
’’For what?’’  
’’Putting up with my bullshit.’’  
Todd smiled at him, ’’No problem, Puck.’’

**Author's Note:**

> todd is a sweetheart, my lord he deserves the world


End file.
